99 problems, and a book ain't one

  Flat-out Celeste exceeded my expectations. I really wasn't prepared for some of the shocks I encountered in this book. When it was almost unimportantly mentioned that things with Matt and Julie were not what you might have envisioned them being....my heart was semi crushed.

I had not seen that one coming. And as much as it pained me, there was some amazing healing by the end. All around.

  I absolutely loved Celeste in Flat-out Love. Seeing her now years ahead of that, but still very much that same quirky, isolated, broken, brave and uniquely charming girl was fantastic. While she had healed in a lot of ways over the years, there were still parts of her that were broken. It was so great to watch her go through the journey of repairing those broken pieces and stepping out of the shell she had encased herself in. Everything about this book was charming. I loved Celeste's innocence. I adored watching her take chances, and the positive outcomes from doing so. At times this book was so damn sweet, it could give you a toothache. And I loved every minute of it. I just love stories like this, so pure and sweet. It makes you want to replay all your precious firsts too, first kiss, first crush, first date, etc.

  I was honestly a little concerned that I wouldn't possibly like this book as much as I did Flat-out Love. Before long though, it was apparent that all my worrying was for nothing. Celeste's story felt completely her own, and that alone will make you love it. I was also worried about how I could like anyone as much as I liked Matt, but Justin completely obliterated any of that nonsense. Justin with his clumsy, scatter-brained, endearing, rambling, goofy tendencies was bound to capture just about anyone's heart. He seemed a perfect fit for Celeste. I loved that they brought out, and saw, the best in each other. And maybe more than anything, I LOVED that their love wasn't what "fixed" Celeste. They simply made each other happier, and in doing so it made other aspects of their lives better and/or easier to manage. They still separately made progressions and important decisions, and this is a key thing for me.

  The ending was perfect. Breathtakingly perfect. I actually had tears of joy in my eyes! Unbelievable! I'm not a big crier, but the whole ending just got me. I couldn't control it. My heart was so full I needed a release. I was so glad to have read Celeste's story. I recommend it to anyone that loved Flat-out Love, or people that haven't always had the easiest time "fitting in", or just anyone that would enjoy a good innocent and sweet read.